1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to electrical wall plates and tamper resistant wall plates which restrict access to electrical devices.
2. Background Art
Electrical wall plates are conventionally used to cover electrical devices and electrical boxes to prevent electrical shock while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. An issue that continues to provide safety concerns is electrocution caused by children inserting metal objects into electrical receptacles. One method of preventing access to the receptacle is inserting flat plastic covers into the receptacle openings. While the cover is easy to insert, it can be removed by children and/or easily lost. Further, the cover must be removed and set aside before the receptacle can be used and the cover can easily be lost or become a choking hazard.
An alternative to plastic covers is tamper resistant electrical receptacles. Tamper resistant receptacles have slidable outlet blocks that sit behind the front face of the electrical device and move to an open position when an electrical plug is properly inserted. However, when another object or the plug is improperly inserted, the blocks prevent the object from contacting the electrified portions of the receptacle. The tamper resistant electrical receptacle has a number of disadvantages, including difficult and cumbersome installation that may require an electrician to install new tamper resistant electrical receptacles.